A team of 15 Greek special operations officers were mustered at the northwestern port of Igoumenitsa on Wednesday and set to sail to Italy to help in the search and rescue effort in the wake of a devastating earthquake that had claimed at least 120 lives in the neighboring country by last night.

In a related development, the head of the Organization of Earthquake Planning and Protection (OASP), Athens University Professor Efthymis Lekkas, categorically denied speculation that Greece could be affected by seismic activity in Italy.

“We are talking about two entirely separate seismotectonic systems,” he said.

African migrants hoping to start a new life in Italy after risking their lives crossing the Mediterranean have headed to the area of Wednesday's earthquake, helping local people who lost everything in the disaster.

Wearing bright orange overalls, the group from a temporary hostel about 50 km (30 miles) away blended in on Friday with other volunteer workers who have come from all over Italy.

"We need to help the people here," said a 20-year-old man from the West African state of Benin, who gave his name only as Abdullah.

"We saw people losing their lives and we feel bad. It's to show respect for them and their dignity," he told Reuters Television on the outskirts of Pescara del Tronto, one of the devastated villages.